Four second-half goals saw SSML Division One leaders Harpenden Town extend their winning run to eight games with a 5-1 victory over Hatfield Town at Rothamsted Park this afternoon (Tuesday).

In the end the Harps were good value for the dominant win having created a hatful of chances but up until nigh on the hour mark the result was still in the balance.

Frankie Jowle’s double along with strikes from Sam James, Harry Hunt and Charlie Gould helped the home side over the line after Malik Jamaal-Smith had levelled for the Blueboys.

It was almost all Harpenden in the opening stages with Hunt having a penalty shout waved away after being challenged by Leon Opok while the home man then hit a weak shot at keeper Kieran Extence in the ninth minute.

Six minutes later they were ahead.

The ball fell to James on the edge of the box and he bent a shot that Extence got a hand on but could not keep out.

Hatfield have shown determination in recent weeks, picking up three straight wins for the first time this season, and within a minute they were level.

Michael Alderman diverted Toby Kirkham’s free-kick onto the bar and Jamaal-Smith nodded in the rebound.

Back came the in-form hosts with a series of quick-fire gilt-edged chances.

Zach Marshall slashed Jack Cartwright’s headed effort off the line in the 32nd minute while Jowie was milimetres away from converting Hunt’s driven cross.

Moments later Cartwright went agonisingly close with another header and Gould also nodded wide.

Hatfield had somehow made it to the break with parity and they continued to ride their luck in the early moments of the second period.

Cartwright and Gould both found the woodwork and Jowle shot over the bar from close range.

Harpenden were to get their noses in their front 11 minutes after the interval though when Jowle laid the ball across to Hunt who casually sidefooted into an unguarded net.

Hunt was denied a second four minutes later as Marshall again hacked off the line and Danny Plumb’s men had to wait until the 77th minute, and a change of assistant referee after one had suffered a back tweak, for their third.

Opok was dispossessed near the halfway line and Gould stormed through before slotting beyond the helpless Extence.

Two minutes later it was 4-1.

Jowle outmuscled a couple of Hatfield men in the box and touched beyond the keeper.

One soon became two for Jowle, chasing after a Hunt rebound and curling expertly into the far corner.

There was still time for Hatfield’s Jack Sheldrake to be up-ended in the box by keeper Conor Samson and the referee to point to the spot.

However, following the award of the soft spot-kick, Samson redeemed himself with a fingertip save to deny Paul Otim a second consolation.